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Ukrainian Society, State and Church in Wartime. Church And Religious Situation in Ukraine 2025

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This publication summarises the results of 25 years of monitoring religiosity, state-church relations and interfaith relations in Ukraine, with a focus on changes during the full-scale war. In 2000, the Razumkov Centre conducted the first large-scale sociological study of the church and religious situation in Ukraine entitled “Church and Society in Ukraine: Problems of Relations”. During the first decade of Ukraine's independence, the Centre paid particular attention to interfaith, inter-church, and state-church relations due to their complexity, tension, diversity of existing problems, and significant conflict potential. Since then, the Razumkov Centre has regularly conducted research in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Ukraine. This research has continued even during Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, providing valuable insights into contemporary Ukrainian society and its development trends. The study illustrates transformations in religious self-identification, public trust in the Church and the role of religious organisations during wartime, offering a factual portrayal of Ukraine's religious landscape as of 2025.

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This publication presents the results of an ongoing nationwide sociological study that began in 2000. It analyses the level of religiosity, religious affiliation and participation in religious life, as well as citizens' attitudes towards the Church and religion. Particular emphasis is placed on the impact of the full-scale Russian invasion, including changes in religious practices, increased social activity by churches and transformed social expectations. It covers comparative data by region, age group and denomination, as well as trends over the past 25 years.

The sociological study reveals the following trends:

  • By 2025, Ukrainian society will have demonstrated a consistently high level of trust in the Church (around 60%), as well as a high level of religiosity (70% of people will consider themselves believers, with 25% experiencing an increase in religiosity after 2022).
  • The Church's role in society is generally viewed positively, with 54% of people considering it socially useful. The most popular areas of activity are providing psychological support, helping vulnerable groups and supporting the Armed Forces.
  • Recognition of religion as a factor in democracy is growing, with more than half of the population acknowledging its influence on democratic processes.
  • The proportion of Orthodox Christians has decreased from 70% in 2014 to 58% in 2025, while the proportion of OCU believers has increased to 42%. The proportion of UOC-MP believers is 5%. The number of Greek Catholics has increased from 8% to 12%. 10% identify as 'just Christians', 3% as Protestant, 1% as Roman Catholic, 0.4% as belonging to another religion and 15.5% do not belong to any religion[JW1] .
  • Religious practices: 53% attend religious services (16% weekly), 17% participate online.
  • Only 29% are members of religious communities, but this figure is growing (16% in 2000).
  • A low level of interfaith tension: 59% of Ukrainians assess interfaith relations as calm, and political factors are considered to be the main cause of potential conflict.
  • There is an increased demand for the national orientation of churches, especially in relation to distancing themselves from structures associated with Moscow.
  • 80.5% support banning religious organisations associated with the aggressor state;
  • Civil identity dominates in Ukraine, with only 5% defining their identity primarily through faith or the Church.

The study is available in Ukrainian and English and is primarily intended for academics and analysts specialising in religion and social processes, as well as government institutions, politicians, religious leaders, and interfaith platforms involved in humanitarian and religious policy. It will also be of interest to civil society and international organisations engaged in issues of freedom of conscience, social support, and interfaith dialogue.

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Contact Dr. Jan Philipp Wölbern
Dr. Jan Philipp Wölbern
Deputy Head of the Ukraine Office
jan-philipp.woelbern@kas.de +380 444927443
Contact

Kateryna Bilotserkovets

Kateryna Bilotserkovets bild
Project Manager
kateryna.bilotserkovets@kas.de +380 44 4927443

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